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Harvey Elliott will miss out on the chance to face his old side today, with the former Liverpool star one of four Aston Villa players set to be missing for today’s game.
The Reds host Unai Emery’s side at Anfield later, needing to get back to winning ways and end their awful run of form. Having been knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Crystal Palace in midweek, Arne Slot’s team has now lost six of its last seven games in all competitions.
That run includes four straight league defeats, with Liverpool currently sitting seven points behind table-topper Arsenal - that gap could grow to 10 points before kick-off on Merseyside, with Mikel Arteta’s side facing Burnley earlier in the day.
Not only that, but the Reds actually find themselves level on points with today’s opponents, which perfectly demonstrates both teams’ recent fortunes.
Having made a disastrous start to the season, with no wins in their first five league games and just one goal scored in that time, Villa have stormed back into form with four consecutive victories, and will have the chance to leapfrog the defending champions today.
Emery will be without four players for today’s game though, including Elliott. The 22-year-old has so far struggled to make an impact since swapping Anfield for Villa Park in the summer, and he’s guaranteed to miss today’s game, despite not carrying an injury.
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Although Elliott’s exit from Liverpool is expected to become permanent - although even that looks in danger now given his limited opportunities so far this season - he is currently still out on loan from the Reds, making him ineligible to face his parent club.
Villa will be without three more players through injury, with Emery having ruled Emi Buendia out during his press conference on Friday.
The 28-year-old was forced off with a foot injury during the first half of last weekend’s victory over Manchester City, and although the issue is not expected to keep him out for long, he will miss today’s game.
“He is not available for tomorrow, but the injury is going well,” Emery said. “I think with a few days more, he can be fit and available for the next match, hopefully.”
Meanwhile, Youri Tielemans and Andres Garcia remain out. The former is expected to return to full training next week, while Emery suggested the latter will be out for another few weeks.
“Our commitment in the last matches, in everything we were planning to be strong in our gameplan, tomorrow will be very, very important,” Emery added on Friday about facing Liverpool.
“To stop them is very difficult. They have some injuries like we have. I’m excited and motivated, even more for the difficulties we will face against them.”
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